As many of us make the most of the good weather and holiday season to tackle long-overdue gardening and DIY projects, it’s worth remembering that noise from tools and household appliances can damage our hearing.
The risk of using loud home appliances and tools
Many of the tools used in DIY and gardening, such as power tools and leaf blowers (as well as headphones or earbuds), can emit surprisingly high sound levels – depending on the model, and type of activity.
Repeated and prolonged exposure to high sound levels can pose a risk to hearing or cause tinnitus (experiencing sounds not caused by an outside source).
Loud noise exposure is one of the biggest causes of hearing loss, but its impact is preventable.
Are we protecting our hearing?
Our new research shows that most people are reluctant to use hearing protection when using common household appliances and power tools. Many are unaware that listening to loud music through headphones also poses a risk to hearing.
Our survey reveals that:
- More than 1 in 5 people (23%) don’t think hearing protection is necessary when using loud equipment like drills or lawnmowers
- Almost a quarter (24%) admit they’re unlikely to wear hearing protection such as ear plugs or ear defenders when doing DIY or gardening
- Almost a third of those surveyed (32%) don’t think there’s a risk to hearing when using headphones
How loud are these everyday appliances?
Repeated or prolonged exposure to sounds at 85 decibels (dB) or above can cause hearing damage.
Here are the sound ranges of some common activities, environments and household appliances.
- 0 – 60dB: Sounds within this range include a quiet library or an ordinary spoken conversation.
- 61 – 85dB: Electric lawn mowers, food blenders and hair dryers.
- 86 – 100dB: Sounds at this volume range include drilling into masonry with an electric drill, petrol-powered leaf blowers and pressure washers.
- Over 100dB: Chainsaws, using a hammer drill on masonry and pneumatic drills.
Franki Oliver, RNID Audiology Manager, said:
This summer, as people reach for headphones or take advantage of the extra day to finish projects they’ve been putting off, it’s important to protect your hearing.
We are increasingly aware that being in very noisy situations like a gig or nightclub can lead to hearing loss or tinnitus. But a wide range of common household appliances can emit surprisingly high levels of sound – depending on what you’re using them for.
If you’re dusting off the drill this weekend, we’d encourage you to think about the small steps you can take – like wearing earplugs or ear defenders, and to be aware of the volume you might be exposed to through their headphones.”
How to tell when noise is too loud, and what to do about it
It can be hard to judge how loud a sound is. If you can’t talk to someone who is two metres (six feet) away from you without shouting, because of background noise, it’s likely that noise levels are dangerously high.
Repeated or long exposure to sounds at 85dB or above can cause hearing loss. The length of time you can ‘safely’ be exposed to sound over 85dB without needing to use hearing protection depends on how loud it is.
Franki says, “Sound intensity – the energy the sound wave carries – doubles with every increase of three decibels. So even though the sound of heavy traffic at 88 decibels doesn’t sound twice as loud as a drill at 85, it’s twice as intense.
Experts agree that you should not be exposed to sounds at 85 decibels for more than eight hours a day. We’re exposed to lots of different sounds that are 85 decibels or over throughout a normal day, and this exposure time adds up.
As sound intensity doubles with every increase of three decibels, the safe exposure time halves. So, for example, the safe exposure time for 88 decibels is four hours.
For sounds of 110 – 120 decibels, like standing very close to a hammer drill or pneumatic drill – it can only take a few seconds to cause hearing damage.”
Safe headphone use
Headphones are a great way to relax with your favourite tunes or the latest podcasts, whether it’s on the move or by the poolside, but it’s important they’re used safely.
According to Franki, there are few simple things people can do to protect their ears.
Turn the volume down a notch or two. Don’t go over the ‘safe’ volume level of the device, and make sure you take regular breaks to give ears a rest.
Another thing you can do is invest in some noise cancelling headphones. These are great for noisier environments and mean users aren’t tempted to increase the volume to excessive levels.”
Another way to tell if you’ve been exposed to dangerously loud noise is when you can’t hear properly or have ringing in your ears for a few hours afterwards.
This is a sign you’ve been exposed to noise that’s loud enough to damage your ears. It’s really important to protect your hearing next time you’re exposed to noise that loud.
How to protect your hearing
If you’re exposed to noise that is so loud that it hurts your ears, you should immediately leave the environment or stop the activity that’s causing the noise – and use hearing protection in the future.
Franki says: “Remember, the louder the noise is and the longer you are exposed to it, the higher the risk to your hearing. The good news is it’s really easy to protect your hearing – just reduce the time you’re exposed to loud noise, lower the volume on headphones a notch or two, and make sure you use earplugs or ear defenders when doing those noisy jobs around the house and garden.”